A Miracle Abound

“Sam, come on we need to go Christmas shopping. It’s the 22 December and we haven’t organised a thing. No food, no gifts……nothing!” Alison calls out.

Sam shuffles from his bedroom, head hanging, dejected.

“Alison, you know I hate Christmas. It’s so fake. People who bitch behind our backs all year suddenly want to hug us, tell us they love us and give us gifts. What’s the point of it all? You know they hate us and quite frankly, we don’t really like them. Can’t we cancel Christmas this year honey……please?” Sam whines.

Alison shakes her head at her husband and smiles. “Forget it Sam, I’ll do the shopping and organise the food, as I do every year. I was just hoping for some help this year. Go back to whatever you were doing.”

Sam shuffles off back to his room. He turns, gives his wife a sad smile and disappears through the doorway.

Allison softly closes the door behind her, thankful that the shops are open until midnight. She’s left it late this year as it’s 4pm and tomorrow is Christmas Eve.

When Alison returns home at 11pm, she finds Sam has left the porch light on for her but the house is in darkness. An obvious sign her husband is in bed and asleep. She’s about to join him, as soon as she puts this food away. She’s absolutely exhausted and tomorrow will be a big day. Sam won’t be of any assistance but her mother will be over bright and early to help.

Alison felt like she’d just climbed into bed and closed her eyes, when suddenly she’s being shaken awake by Sam.

“Alison, wake up. Come on honey, it’s Christmas Eve and we have so much to do. Alison, come on. We’ve the turkey to baste, the Christmas cake to broil and the pumpkin pie to bake. Come on sleepyhead, up and at ‘em,”

With that Sam flounces out of the bedroom, laughing in excitement.

Alison sits up in bed, rubs her tired eyes, and questions if she’s dreaming. Sam hates Christmas! So what is going on?

She climbs out of bed and heads to the bathroom, where she washes her face and brushes her teeth. As she rinses her toothbrush, she hears Sam putting a record on the player. Christmas carols begin to sound throughout the house.

What in the world?

Alison ambles out of the bedroom and stops short. Sam is dancing and prancing around the kitchen in tune to the carols. He has the goofiest grin on his face when he sees her.

“Good morning sleeping beauty, are you going to help me cook today?”

Alison is speechless. Who is this man in her kitchen because it may look like her husband but it sure doesn’t sound like her husband. He sure isn’t acting like her husband either. She’s beginning to wonder if he has been possessed or something.

She moves closer to Sam and asks, “Who are you? What have you done with my husband?”

Sam grins at Alison. “Well somebody woke in a grumpy mood today. I am who I’ve always been Alison. The love of your life.”

“No Sam, you’re not. My Sam hates Christmas. Hates anything you do with Christmas. Hates Christmas carols, hates Christmas cooking, hates Christmas cake, in fact, he hates celebrating Christmas. So I’ll ask again. Who are you? What have you done with my husband?”

Sam laughs. “You’re hilarious when you’re tired. I’ve no idea what you’re talking about because you know I’ve always loved Christmas.”

Alison is baffled and remains silent. She’s totally confused.

More conversation ensues and Alison reminds Sam that he refused to go shopping with her yesterday afternoon because he detested Christmas so much. Sam denies this claim, stating once again that he loves everything christmassy so he has no idea why she is insisting differently.

They argue back and forth, both confused at what the other was saying. Both adamant the other was delusional. Both remembering past Christmas’ in a different reality.

Alison is baffled and shakes her head. This conversation is going nowhere fast.

“Sam, I’m just going to give Mum a ring. I’ll be back shortly to help if you really insist on sharing the cooking today.”

Alison walks back into their bedroom and closes the door. She picks up her mobile phone and rings her mother.

Once answered she quietly whispers, “Mum, there’s been a very strange occurrence here today. Sam has woken up with some sort of amnesia. He is insisting he has always loved everything christmassy and is even in the kitchen cooking up enough food for the entire neighbourhood for Christmas lunch tomorrow.”

There’s silence on the other end of the phone.

“Mum, are you there?”

“Alison, sorry I thought you told me Sam was in a good mood and looking forward to celebrating Christmas, instead of being the usual cynical bastard he’s been every other year. I must have heard you wrong.”

“No Mum, you heard right. My husband has suffered some sort of amnesia episode and I just wanted to forewarn you that when you get here this morning, there’ll be three cooks in the kitchen, rather than just you and I.”

Alison’s mum is left speechless on the other end of the phone. She’d prayed for a miracle for years, hoping Sam would change his attitude because her daughter had always found Christmas to be a magical time, but she’d quite frankly given up hope of that ever happening.

Looks like this year her prayers have been answered.

She smiles to herself and informs Alison she’ll be there soon to witness this miracle in the flesh.

“Merry Christmas my precious daughter. Just go with the flow and enjoy.”

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Originally published on Medium